Hopefully some parts of SW WA will get sufficient rain within the next week or two for farming needs/planning.

Ok, so falls to 50-150 mm in the SW WA region to 9 am, 24th-26th , thus far! A secondary Deep-SW upper-trough rossby-wave approaching next 12-24 hours.

I'd be excited - if I was farming over there!

Parts of the SW WA corner region received in the vicinity of 100-150 mm in the week to yesterday [Bureau]. Great falls ! ... Another modest-to-reasonable system looks like it's going through at present...and yet more seems likely by the 5th . Then just have to wait for the upper-trough rossby-wave pattern to propagate further east for the rest of the country.

Hi All, Forecasts are one thing, reality is often different. Yes we have had 2 strong fronts come through - wind over 90Kms per hr in both events, which both blew top soil all over the place. 4mm out of the first with over 3o bushfires lit with the first, and 20mm out of the second. Our average to June should be 403mm we have recorded 152mm for the year - just over 1/3. Our rain for June should be 130mm we have had 26mm so far, for which I am grateful. But WA is a big State - some of the northern, eastern and central wheatbelt have had good rains out of both those events - other areas have missed out - many acres planted dry in the hope of rain.

As with other drier years, down here on the south coast, we can look down further south to the southern ocean and see huge storm cloud bands, week after week - but these are all many kilometers south of where they would normally be at this time of the year, hence the low rainfall. Hay is now at a real premium with June and July being the coldest months.

Certainly going to be a very critical time for cropping over the next month in many southern and eastern parts of the State, yet even in some dry areas I hear of storms bringing just enough rain to get a germination - Cheers FE

Yes, I agree it can be at times.

Well...after a series of consecutive frontal and upper-trough systems to reach SW WA coasts, let's hope the lull in [significant-rainfall] proceedings is just that .

Hope all goes well as this season progresses for you FE, and to all other growers across Aus.

Hi All,
Just a quick summary of the harvest just ended. For the majority of grain growers,it was an excellent season. Frost was not as bad as expected, and very good yields throughout most grain growing areas, with the highest price average across all grains. As a result of the combination of top prices plus good overall yields, saw what I believe was the highest VALUED crop season ever in West Australia. We have had bigger tonnages, but not on years when prices were so good.

That said there were areas that missed out on Spring rains and got very poor crops, particularly eastern section of south coast, which should, in geographical terms, not be likely to happen - but it did.

I am no longer involved in cereal cropping, but grow a small area of hay crop - our usually wet area on the south coast was very dry this year, but myself and neighbour got a thunderstorm 2 days after putting heavy dose of nitrogen out, and as good fortune would have it we both got our best ever hay crops and baled the most bales I've ever had in 33 years on this property. - As you can see its when you get rain in farming is often more important than how much you get.....

All that said, since the start of this year, our rainfall for the 3rd year, has seen a very dry start to the year - this is now the trend and like everyone else, we are adjusting our farm programmes to suit.

It is very sad to see what has happened on the east coast, there is no doubt that the drought there was one of the main reasons why grain prices were so high over here - doesn't seem fair but that's life. I would expect you will all see higher prices in shops for flour based products this coming year as livestock and humans compete for the same grain, which is in such limited supply on the east coast.

At my late stage of life I just urge you all to get the most enjoyment you can out of each day, life get a bit precious down this end!!! Best wishes to you all. Cheers FE

Thanks for the update and insight FE.